Where: Terra at Expo City
When: April 25 to 28, 2025

DUBAI: Terra at Expo City Dubai is taking the lead in putting the UAE on the global conservation map. From April 25 to 28, the City Nature Challenge returns, and this year, Dubai is joining hundreds of cities worldwide to celebrate biodiversity by recording urban wildlife using just a smartphone.

Launched by the California Academy of Sciences and LA’s Natural History Museum, the City Nature Challenge has already logged over 7 million species across the globe. With support from Emirates Nature–WWF, Dubai Holding Entertainment, and Nature Wave, Terra is calling on residents to explore the wild side of their neighbourhoods—be it a buzzing balcony, sandy sidewalk or shaded park.

Participants simply need to download the iNaturalist app, snap pictures of plants, animals or fungi, and upload their sightings. The campaign helps scientists gather real-time data to protect ecosystems and raise awareness of urban biodiversity.

From purple sunbirds to sand geckos and even the elusive Arabian red dwarf honeybee, the city is full of surprises. Terra has even organised a free biodiversity walk on April 25 from 9am to 10am, giving residents a guided intro to spotting species.

Arabella Willing of Emirates Nature–WWF said, “Nature doesn’t start at the forest edge — it’s everywhere. This challenge empowers everyday people to become scientists.”

Dubai will also compete globally for the highest number of observations, species recorded and participants. Cities like Cape Town, Tokyo and Singapore have already made headlines — now it’s Dubai’s turn.

There’s even a fun twist: a social media contest for the best wildlife photo, with prizes including tickets to Terra and a featured exhibit.

Join the challenge and let your backyard become a part of something big — for the planet, and for Dubai.

To get started, sign-up to iNaturalist today and visit https://terra.expocitydubai.com/en/poi/city-nature-challenge for step-by-step guides. Whether you are eight or eighty, this is your chance to discover, contribute, and celebrate the wild side of Dubai — one snapshot at a time.